Circumstances
by Totally Uninspired Name
Summary: The situation was complicated, and there were circumstances.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Don't own anything, at all. Boo.**

**Chapter 1: Kill Me Now**

Natasha sank to her knees on the cool tiles and felt her stomach churn. A groan escaped her lips and she threw up again. She spit into the toilet bowl and wiped her mouth with a tissue. This was impossible, it wasn't like she had eaten- Oh gods, no. Her eyes widened in horror. No way, no way this was not possible. She refused to even consider the possibility. Desperately, she tried to think over the last several weeks, then promptly threw up again.

"Tash"? A light knock on the bathroom door was followed by some frantic whispering. "Tasha, are you alright"?

"I'm fine, must have been something I ate", she mumbled back, feeling numb.

"Do you require a healer"? Thor's voice boomed through the door, and Natasha flinched openly.

"I require six pints of vodka", she muttered anxiously. Shakily, she got to her feet and flushed the toilet running some cold water in the sink. She splashed some on her face and leaned on the edge, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked awful, and she felt worse.

Better still, the guys were out there and she had to face them eventually.

Outside the bathroom, a small cluster of superheroes conversed nervously around the door, nodding to the sleepy figure approaching from down the hall. Bruce Banner rubbed his hand through unruly hair and yawned. He tied his bathrobe and blinked in confusion at the sight before him.

"Um, you guys do know there are several other bathrooms right? In fact, Tony, you have en suite. What's going on"?

Clint never turned around from his position at the door, ear pressed against the wood.

"Tasha is sick", he muttered and then tapped on the door. "Tash, are you OK"?

"Did that swarma taste funny to anyone else"? Tony cut in.

"Stomach bug maybe"? Steve whispered. "Or, um, you know, courses"?

"Don't think vomiting is an issue there Cap", Tony drawled. "Besides, if it was monthlies, half of us would be nursing broken bones right now".

"She mustn't have been feeling well for a while my friends", Thor summarised.

"What makes you say that"? Bruce enquired.

"Well, she was up and about at night for the last two days and then last week as well. Plus, she hasn't been eating at mealtimes. She's been giving me what she hasn't eaten", Thor admitted, feeling guilty for not having said sooner.

Bruce pursed his lips and thought carefully. Clint looked at him in confusion.

"I don't understand. Tasha never gets sick, she physically can't, and if she was injured I would know"- Clint froze and his jaw suddenly tightened. He pushed through the small group and disappeared into his room. Exactly ninety seconds later, Hawkeye emerged clutching his weapons and a phone attached to his ear. The other four exchanged a quick look. Ninety seconds had to be a new change record. Whatever this was, it was serious.

"Tony, I'm taking one of your bikes".

"Ok, check the mileage", Tony said flippantly as he took a sip of his coffee. Bruce double checked, when did Tony get coffee? He felt a small bump against his leg and stood to one side as a small robot buzzed off down the hallway. Clint stalked past it, never breaking his stride.

"Clint, where are you going"? Steve demanded.

"I'm going to kill the bastard"!

The bathroom door slammed open.

"Clint Barton, put the bow down right now"!

"No chance in hell"! Clint's phone rang and he answered it.

"Yeah Hill, bout goddamn time! I don't care if it's your ma's birthday. I need the last known location for hostile 666. Yes, I'll hold, just hurry the fuck up"!

Natasha closed her eyes and leaned against the door. This couldn't be happening. Please don't let this be happening.

"OK thanks Hill, no I don't need back up". Clint hung up and threw the phone over his shoulder.

"666… Loki"? Bruce rubbed his chin.

"Loki"? Tony bit his lip.

_5, 4, 3, 2, 1…. _Tasha mentally counted down. Both men snapped their eyes on her at once.

"Loki"?!

Both Thor and Steve continued to stand looking oblivious. Steve because, well, he was Steve. Thor, because he had diverted his attention to the Stark phone in his hands playing candy crush.

"Oh, Tash, you didn't"… Bruce's eyes welled up with sympathy.

"Once, twice a day, for two weeks", she admitted. Tony blinked.

"Wow, I mean really wow. Hey does he deserve the name Silver Tongue"?

At this point, Tony was knocked into the wall.

Clint had finished checking his bow and arrows and then flicked on a pair of glasses. "Right, I'll be back once I put the bastard six feet under".

"Clint, don't you dare"- Natasha suddenly crouched down in discomfort and dry heaved.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Come on Tash, breathe", Bruce rubbed her back and supported her. Clint immediately rushed to her other side.

"I'm gonna be sick"…

Fifteen minutes later, the group had convened in the living room and Clint had put his bow down long enough to make Natasha a cup of ginger tea. During this time, Bruce wisely used the distraction to hide the bow.

"Urgh, that smells awful", Tony wrinkled his nose at the tea.

"What's it for"? Thor asked distractedly while he focused on the level he had been stuck on for almost eight days.

"I grew up in a carnival", Clint stated moodily. "I know what settles morning sickness".

Steve choked on his coffee and Thor snapped back into reality. Tony smirked over his coffee mug.

Thor jumped out and embraced Natasha carefully, mindful of her condition.

"Lady Natasha, this is glorious news", Thor laughed. "I am thrilled, another niece or nephew! Our parents will be thrilled"!

"Hold the phone there big guy, she isn't keeping it", Clint snapped. "Right Tasha"?

"I-I don't know"… _I never even knew I could carry a child…._

"Well, before you decide on anything, best make this official", Pepper strode into the room with a small bag. "One pregnancy test. Oh Tony, you will have to release a statement for the press".

The billionaire groaned audibly.

Natasha sat on the edge of the bathtub counting down the last few remaining seconds. She had bitten her nails down to the skin. This was stupid. She was the Black Widow, a SHIELD agent, an Avenger… talk about being compromised.

She stopped counting and looked down at the test.

"Right, I'm totally screwed".

And so, the Black Widow did the only thing that made sense at that moment. She snuck out the room and climbed down the vents and out the building. The speed and precision would have made Hawkeye very proud… under any other circumstances obviously.

Thirty minutes later, the rest of the Avengers plus Pepper were still waiting in the living room. In Natasha's absence, they had all attempted to acclimatise to the idea that the Widow was pregnant. Thor was lounged back with a big goofy grin on his face while Steve sat next to him twiddling his thumbs. The news still hadn't sunk in yet. Clint stood against the wall with a face like stone, Bruce speaking quietly to him while massaging a foam stress ball.

Pepper and Tony were seated at the bar, where, despite the time, the latter was nursing a very large scotch and a bag of ice against the bruised eye from earlier. Finally the silence got to him and he said, quite predictably, what everyone was thinking.

"Fury is going to flip".

"How did this even happen"? Steve questioned. He looked over at Clint accusingly. "You knew about this and you didn't say anything"?

"Yeah, she's my best friend. She's family. Of course I knew, well I didn't know she was pregnant but I knew about Loki. I told her at the time it was a bad idea. But, well, there were circumstances"…

"I knew as well", Pepper admitted.

"And you didn't tell me? I'm hurt", Tony pouted.

"Because I knew your big mouth would land you in trouble and look I was right", Pepper smiled smugly. She then turned serious. "Besides, can you blame her for not telling any of you what was going on? Look at how you all reacted! Well except Bruce and Thor".

"Loki has never given any indication he would hurt Lady Natasha"-

"Get real Thor, he's tried to kill all of us multiple times, including you, take over Asgard and Earth, he's unleashed an alien force, stabbed Coulson through the chest, destroyed the hellicarrier, forced several people to do his bidding, including me which by the way, has resulted in some fairly epic therapy bills, to quote Tasha, he killed eighty people within two days and oh yeah, let us remember, just to really bring him the point, he is absolutely fucking evil"! Clint paused to take a few breaths.

"You know, Hawk boy does have a point", Tony interceded downing the rest of his scotch. "When you put all this together, Loki is not the guy to nominate for father of the year".

"Do not jest my brother's parenting", Thor lashed out. "He is an excellent father, and has done nothing more than care for all his children lovingly and equally".

"And it gets better, the deranged God already has kids", Tony lamented.

Thor's brow furrowed in confusion. "Anthony, I do not understand your tone. You said you had conducted thorough research into our culture, surely you already knew this"?

Tony stared incredulously at the Asgardian. "Are you fucking kidding me? That shit is real? Loki is actually a mom"?!

"The preferred term is sire", Thor looked down guiltily. "His children, for the most part, have been kept from him for much of their lives. Some are considered…dangerous".

"Are they"? Bruce asked him. "Or are your people held by fears of things they don't understand"?

"Some are, maybe. Sleipnir is fine, as are the twins and Hel. But the other two, are prophesied to play significant roles within Ragnarok… I could not say for certain. Only one person has spoken to the Norns and has seen glimpses of what is to come. Odin has not seen fit to share what he saw with Loki and I. He has the final say on what happens to the children. At the moment, they are housed and cared for comfortably, but Odin will not have them in his presence. That is why Loki travels so much, so he can see his family".

Tony pulled up some images and started to flip through them. "Most of them don't look human do they? They weren't born that way"?

"No", Thor admitted. "Natasha may produce a child which is not human".

"We won't know anything without monitoring this pregnancy and without ultrasounds", Bruce said determinedly. "We can't let that affect things".

"Indeed my friend. It would be wise to discover when the child was conceived as quickly as possible. Jothun pregnancies are more stressful than those of humans. Not to mention, they do not last nearly as long. Arrangements must be made, and I should inform Asgard".

"Well Nat can fill us in and we can form a plan", Steve concluded. "Speaking of, shouldn't she be back by now"?

Three days later, they had next to no choice.

"You mean to tell me one of my motherfucking agents got knocked up by a Norse god? Not any Norse god, but the same crazy fucker who decimated New York last year"? Fury's one remaining eye blazed.

Tony snickered at Fury's choice of insults.

"Shut it Stark", Clint muttered from the side.

"Yes sir, we do", Steve answered. The rest of the group collectively stepped back and broke eye contact with the director.

"And now she's missing"?

"Yes Sir".

"And where exactly is your brother in all this"? Fury directed towards Thor.

"My father confirms he is here on Earth and he is alone. We don't know exactly where, he moves around too much. He can confirm that Natasha is not with him".

"If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be", Clint piped up from the side-lines.

"I will put the whole of SHIELD on it. But, in the meantime, this information is classified. I cannot stress this enough, get her back to Avengers HQ. If she is carrying a potential threat, we need to know. Banner confer with the Asgardian healers and see if you can figure out what we're dealing with. Thor find your brother, Barton, go with him for back up. The rest of us will focus on finding her. Understood"? Fury stood up and swept his coat behind him majestically.

"I want to speak to Loki, after I kick his ass".

He left the room.

"Well, that actually went better than I thought", Tony shrugged.

Ten minutes later, they ran into Agent Hill.

"Does anyone want to tell me why Fury is on the shooting range with a rocket launcher and a picture of Loki"?

The sun was shining, children screamed with laughter running around the park. Natasha sat on a bench nearby, face hidden by a hood and a small backpack to one side. She had been on the move for a while. She was tired, way too tired to carry on running. And she was hungry. There was nowhere left to run to, but she figured for the moment this was the safest place. If SHIELD were to try anything, they wouldn't try it here. It was a gamble, but it was one she had to take.

"Hi Tasha", Steve sat next to her.

"Did Fury send you"?

"Just to take you home, I promise. We've been really worried. You shouldn't have run off like that, not in your condition".

"It's too late to do anything about this. And I won't let any of you try", her eyes hardened as she faced down the super soldier. "I won't let anyone hurt my baby".

"We're not gonna, I swear. But you need to come home. Thor told us these pregnancies don't last as long and we don't know if there could be any complications. We need you where we can take care of you".

"Fine, but I'm staying fully armed at all times", she bargained.

"Fair enough", Steven paused. "I have to ask though, do you know where Loki is"?

"No. I haven't seen him in weeks".

"Ok, Thor and Clint are looking for him. We need him to come and shed some light on this".

"Don't! I didn't tell him about this, please"!

"Tash, he has a responsibility to"-

"No, I can take care of it. He doesn't need to know".

Steve narrowed his eyes and looked at her.

"Are you afraid of him"?

"It's complicated. There were circum"-

"Circumstances. Yeah I know, I've heard that a lot lately. Thor says Loki already has kids, and he's proven he is a good father".

"That was then, this is now. This child, I can't risk it. This is my chance to finally do something right".

"But Loki won't be a part of it"?

"It's for the best", Natasha whispered. She was so tired. "He won't care".

"He must have felt something for you, all that time together"-

"It was complicated. He was different, I thought- it doesn't matter what I thought. He's changed. My baby is innocent. I need to protect her".

"Her"? Steve smiled and placed a hand on Natasha's stomach. "So sure"?

"I am. I love her, I love her completely. I never thought I'd have this chance". She wiped her eyes and took a breath. "God, these hormones"…

Steve wrapped his coat around Natasha's shoulders and helped her to her feet. "We'll protect you. Come on, let's go home".

He placed a chaste kiss to her head as he helped her across the park to the car. Across from them, dark green eyes flashed dangerously.


	2. Chapter 2

**Circumstances **

**Chapter 2: Tracking a Trickster**

**AN: As usual, I own absolutely nothing. Also this story is based off the end of Avengers, going quite AU. Also some Phlint, but nothing graphic.**

"Thor! Thor! Wait up"!

As a SHIELD agent, Clint Barton was in prime physical condition. He had spent years working in any terrain, from deserts to rainforests either as part of strike team or by himself. However, he had never had to team, one on one, with a Norse god. Maybe shouting out was a little sloppy, but to be fair, he had no idea why Thor had dragged him out into the depths of Germanic forests. They were supposed to be looking for Loki, and he was supposed to be in New York.

Thor stopped and turned to wait for the archer who leapt lightly over roots and rocks dispersed under the giant trees.

"Please Barton, not so loud", Thor cautioned. "We're being hunted".

"Hunted? Hunted by what"? Clint demanded. "Loki isn't here"!

"No he isn't. But someone who can find him is", Thor explained. "He isn't easy to find, and will approach us in his own time".

Thor turned and continued up the grassy slope. "If Heimdall and my father cannot find him, I will not be able to. But I know someone who will".

_Mmmmm, meat. Hungry… hunt is on…_

Four hours later, and Clint was still frustrated with Thor. The Norse god had stopped in a small clearing to set up camp. The sun was starting to slink behind the horizon and both avengers sat next to a small fire.

"You know I left Nat back in New York right? I should be there now, she's family"!

Thor fixed him with a glare. "Please son of Barton, this is my family too. The child Lady Natasha carries is also my kin. I would not have left unless it was necessary".

Clint tossed a branch into the fire. "This is so fucked up. Who are we even waiting for"?

Thor smiled. "You will see soon enough".

A low growl sounded through the clearing. Hawkeye sprung to him feet, bow in hand and arrow notched.

"What was that"?

"Please Hawkeye, put the bow down"- More growls and snarls, and what sounded like some fairly large teeth gnashing.

"Not a chance Blondie".

Thor immediately stood between the noise and the arrow pointing in the general direction of it.

"This one is mine", Thor demanded. Clint hesitated but lowered the bow. Who was he to argue? He had seen Thor take down an entire Leviathan.

The wolf was huge, about the size of small pony. He was heavy and saliva dripped down his fangs onto the soil beneath his paws. His grey fur and ice blue eyes bared straight into Clint's soul. The wolf glanced at the archer and then shifted his attention to the blonde man before him.

"We meet again", Thor mused, crouching to confront the animal. The wolf snarled in response and then leapt.

"Thor"! Clint notched the arrow again and aimed at the two rolling around on the ground. They moved too quickly and Clint gritted his teeth in annoyance. Thor got the upper hand only to be nipped and pinned down by the wolf as it- lapped its tongue across his face?

Thor was laughing now, and he ruffled the fur on the wolf's head as the wolf turned into a seven year old boy.

"Uncle Thor"!

"Hello Fenrir, it's been too long". Thor enveloped the child in a crushing hug and lifted him off the floor and balanced him on his shoulder. The two immediately started conversing in old Norse.

Clint watched his mouth slightly agape, the kid looked just like Loki, except his eyes were blue not green. He wore a simple white shirt and pair of trousers but his feet were bare and covered in grass stains and mud. Thor eventually broke his attention from his nephew's incessant chatter to acknowledge the shocked archer on the other side of the fire.

"My friend, meet my nephew Fenrir, youngest son of Loki by the giantess Angrboda. Nephew, this is Clint Barton, also called Hawkeye, one of the warriors of this realm".

The kid beamed at Hawkeye and jumped down from Thor's shoulder. He performed a small bow. "I'm honoured".

"Uh, hi"… Hawkeye wasn't really sure what to say. Fenrir looked back up at his uncle.

"Did you bring me something"?

"I did". Thor dug into his shoulder bag and pulled out a piece of bloody meat.

"Woo hoo", Fenrir changed his appearance to wolf and immediately sunk his teeth into it.

Thor watched the wolf gobble down the meat happily before turning to Clint.

"Are you well my friend"?

"Yeah… sure… Please tell me that isn't"-

"It is bovine my friend, I swear. Fenrir does not eat humans, except for that one instance when he was teething, but he spat it straight back out".

"Human taste icky". In place of the wolf, the small boy sat on the ground warming his toes by the fire.

"Fen, have you seen your father lately"?

"Hmmm, what's the date"?

Thor told him and Fenrir's eyes widened slightly. "Hmm, I have been distracted. No, it must have been about four years since we last saw each other. I must have lost track of time. I started to chase rabbits and we've been playing ever since".

"Seriously, Loki just left you out here? Is this what you mean by an excellent father Thor"? Clint demanded. Fenrir's eyes darkened.

"I'm over fifteen hundred years old, I don't need to be protected. You saw me, do I look vulnerable to you"?

Clint was taken aback. These were not the worlds of a child.

"But… you're a kid"… he trailed off.

"I'm older than you will ever know, I have seen things you can't imagine. I only look like a child".

"Why stay out here"?

Fenrir shrugged. "I like it here. I have everything I need, food, water, shelter and lots of space to play".

Thor changed the subject. "Have any of your siblings seen Loki"?

Fenrir chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "Well, he wouldn't go and visit Hela".

"Why not"? Clint demanded.

"Hela was born half dead. She exists between life and death. Although Loki will see her, it pains him. All of his children can exist between the realms, Hela can't. He blames himself because of the circumstances of her birth", Thor explained.

"How do you know he hasn't been there"? Clint asked.

"Because after father visits her, I go and stay with her for a while", Fenrir replied softly. "She needs me after".

"What about Jorgmundr"? Thor asked.

"I doubt it, he hit puberty so he went for a nap. But that was five years ago. If you really have to wake him, I would suggest leaving it another two, you know what he's like when his sleep gets interrupted".

Thor grimaced slightly. Yes, that was an unpleasant memory for all concerned.

"I doubt Vali and Narvi would know either. They've been on Asgard with Sleipnir. Father doesn't go to Asgard and he doesn't need to see big brother to speak to him. He could speak with Narvi and Vali without seeing them through him. Besides, you know what the twins are like keeping secrets".

Loki's carrying of Sleipnir did have some strange side effects.

Fenrir started to search through Clint's backpack, his eyes widening as he pulled out a hunting knife. Clint quickly snatched it back.

"Hey, don't touch kid".

Fenrir stuck his tongue out at the archer and pulled out a granola bar. He opened it and sniffed it before taking a tiny bite and then spitting it out.

"Why do you need him anyway"?

"Well, Thor said slowly. "You are going to have a new brother or sister".

Fenrir's eyes lit up and immediately jumped on Thor. "Really? When? Can it be a boy? I gotta be bigger than someone in the family"!

"Hold on, hold on. We find Loki and he gets rid of it. Tasha is not having that bastard's baby"!

Fenrir growled, his eyes going dark and his teeth beginning to elongate.

"Fenrir, stop. Barton, cease. This is not your decision", Thor snapped. "The child was created by Loki and Natasha and they have the final decision. Although, I am certain they shall keep the child".

"Hmmm", Fenrir mused. "I think I had better come with you. If you can't find him, the baby will need some protection. If father isn't contacting us, that means he's trying to protect us".

"We can't guarantee your safety kid", Clint stated. "It could be dangerous".

Fenrir just shrugged and stood up. "I've been in danger before".

And he shifted back into a wolf.


End file.
